Meetings, Agendas, and Minutes
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EAST DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held at Council Chamber, Blackdown House, Honiton on 8 January 2020 Attendance list at end of document The meeting started at 5.30 pm and ended at 7.56 pm 106 Public speaking There were no members of the public wishing to speak. 107 Minutes of the previous meeting The minutes of Cabinet held on 27 November 2019 were confirmed and signed as a true record. 108 Declarations of interest Minute 117 Draft Revenue and Capital Budgets 2020/21. Councillor Kevin Blakey, Personal, Member of Cranbrook Town Council Minute 118 Loan to finance purchase of Seaton Hospital. Councillor Geoff Pook, Personal, Member of SAHM steering group. Minute 118 Loan to finance purchase of Seaton Hospital. Councillor Ian Hall, Personal, DCC councillor and member of the Triangular Health Care Forum. Minute 118 Loan to finance purchase of Seaton Hospital. Councillor Ian Thomas, Personal, Lives in the Triangular Health Care area. Minute 118 Loan to finance purchase of Seaton Hospital. Councillor Marcus Hartnell, Personal, Member of SAHM steering group. Minute 118 Loan to finance purchase of Seaton Hospital. Councillor Phil Twiss, Personal, Governor of the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS foundation Trust and Devon County Council Adult Health Scrutiny liaison working with the NHS, CCG, RD&E, SWAST, DCC Social care and other health care professionals. 109 Matters of urgency There were no matters of urgency. 110 Confidential/exempt item(s) There were no items that officers recommended should be dealt with in this way. 111 Forward Plan Members agreed the contents of the forward plan for key decisions for the period 1 February to 31 May 2020. Cabinet 8 January 2020 112 Minutes of South and East Devon Habitat Regulations Executive Committee held on 30 October 2019 Members received and noted the Minutes of South and East Devon Habitat Regulations Executive Committee held on 30 October 2019. 113 Minutes of Overview Committee held on 14 November 2019 Members received and noted the Minutes of Overview Committee held on 14 November 2019. RESOLVED that the following recommendation be agreed: Minute 36 Poverty in East Devon 1. Consider funding the creation of an East Devon Poverty Strategy to further develop and target the areas identified within this report that we are able to influence and to support a corporate approach to ensure consistency across Council Services. 2. Carry out a review of the funding and delivery arrangements for Money Advice to ensure that we’re focussing on the key issues identified in the report. 3. Recommend that Council protect the existing funding levels contributed for Money Advice to Homemaker South West and Citizens of circa £120,000 for 2020/21 to enable the review (Recommendation 2) to be undertaken. 4. Update Corporate Debt Policy to include; Breathing Space in-line with proposed Government changes & to consider any other supportive measures that may be beneficial. 5. Agree to the Council’s frontline services, in collaboration, setting up a series of local events across the District with key stakeholders that focus on Universal Credit, Money/Debt advice (including how to avoid Loan sharks), budgeting, fuel poverty etc. with the over-arching aim of supporting people to become more financially resilient. 6. Consider lobbying central Government directly and/or through our MPs in the following areas; Right to Buy Removing the freeze on Local Housing Allowance Rates in order to be reassessed to reflect market rents. Universal Credit – More financial support to be given to customers to help with the transition. More funding to be given to local Councils to reflect the support that customers need with moving onto this Benefit. 7. Continue to explore opportunities to increase our supply of social housing through either redevelopment of existing stock and/or building new Council Housing, in conjunction with a review of the current Housing Revenue Account business plan. 8. Agree to the Council working alongside East Devon foodbanks to better understand demand and eradicate dependency that could lead to a reduction and possible extinction of the need for foodbanks in the district. 9. Undertake a detailed analysis of fuel poverty in the district with a view to developing a separate action plan. 10. To lobby government re the issues surrounding the need for financial support to claimants while in the transition on to Universal Credit. Cabinet 8 January 2020 114 Minutes of Scrutiny Committee held on 21 November 2019 Members received and noted the Minutes of Scrutiny Committee held on 21 November 2019. 115 Minutes of Capital Strategy and Allocation Group held on 4 December 2019 Members received and noted the Minutes of Capital Strategy and Allocation Group held on 4 December 2019. RESOLVED that the following recommendation be agreed: Minute 15 Capital bids proposed for the 2020-21 Capital Programme: Minute 15a Axminster leisure centre - replacement sports hall flooring 1. the bid for £56,000 be supported on a 40% contribution basis. 2. delegated authority be given to the Strategic Lead for Finance to review the reporting of the LED Monitoring Group. Minute 15b Sports halls replacement doors the bid for £35,000 towards replacement sports hall doors be approved, with high priority due to the current health and safety risk. Minute 15c Sidmouth swimming pool gym extension the bid be deferred subject to LED attending a Capital Strategy and Allocations Group meeting and explaining their investment programme and expenditure strategy. Minute 15d Manstone depot, Sidmouth, perimeter fencing the bid of £30,000 for replacement perimeter fencing at Manstone depot, Sidmouth be approved. Minute 15e Purchase of digital telecare equipment to replace non digital stock the bid of £240,063 be approved and the purchase of replacement telecare equipment be phased over a five year period, if possible. Minute 15f Self-build project the bid of £1,000,000 for a self-build pilot study be approved, subject to the Strategic Lead for Finance amending the financial model. Minute 15g Greenway Lane play area, Budleigh Salterton the bid for £80,000 for the removal and replacement of play equipment and safety surfacing at Greenway Lane play area, Budleigh Salterton be approved, with a review of funding for play areas being undertaken in the future. Minute 15h The Crescent play area, Exmouth the bid for £80,000 for the removal and replacement of play equipment and safety surfacing at the Crescent play area, Exmouth be approved, with a review of funding for play areas being undertaken in the future. Cabinet 8 January 2020 Minute 15i Butts Close play area, Honiton the bid for £60,000 for the removal and replacement of play equipment and safety surfacing at Butts Close play area, Honiton be approved, with a review of funding for play areas being undertaken in the future. Minute 15j Axmouth Harbour maintenance the bid for £20,000 for maintenance works at Axmouth Harbour be approved. Minute 15k Greenway Lane footbridge repainting, Budleigh Salterton the bid to repaint the Greenway Lane footbridge in Budleigh Salterton be deferred for a year to enable discussions with the town council over the longer term future of the bridge. Minute 15l Sidmouth seafront railings repainting the bid for £20,000 for the repainting of railings on Sidmouth seafront be approved, with the asset being considered for potential transfer to the town council. Minute 15m Brixington open space enhancements, Exmouth the bid for £150,000 for Brixington open space enhancements, Exmouth not be approved. Minute 15n Exmouth Plantation the bid for £40,000 be approved for inland cliff stabilisation measures at the Plantation, Exmouth. Minute 15o Low carbon materials trial the proposal for £20,000 for a low carbon materials trial be approved subject to delegated authority being given to the Service Lead – Street Scene to negotiate and achieve discounted prices with suppliers. Minute 15p Gunfield Gardens fence refurbishment the bid for £20,000 for fence refurbishment at Gunfield Gardens, Exmouth be approved. Minute 15q Jacobs Ladder, Sidmouth, repainting and structural works the bid for £30,000 for the repainting and structural works at Jacobs Ladder, Sidmouth be approved, with the asset being considered for potential transfer to the town council. Minute 15r Replacement of lighting stock and LED conversion the bid for £40,000 for the replacement of unsafe lighting stock and LED conversion be approved. Minute 15s Capping wall construction, Jacobs Ladder, Sidmouth the proposal for £40,000 for capping wall construction at Jacobs Ladder, Sidmouth be deferred to allow for consultation with ward members and investigations into necessary planning requirements to be undertaken. Minute 15t St Swithun's Churchyard wall, Woodbury the bid for £40,000 for the churchyard wall reconstruction at St Swithun’s Woodbury, be approved. Minute 15u Delivery of Clyst Valley Regional Park the bid of £2,249,000 for delivery of Clyst Valley Regional Park be approved on the basis that it was a nil cost to the Council’s capital budget. Cabinet 8 January 2020 116 Council Tax Reduction Scheme for Working Age - Income Banded Discount Scheme from 2020/21 The Service Lead Revenues, Benefits & Customer Services presented the report that sought approval on the new income banded discount scheme to be implemented from 1 April 2020 following public consultation on the draft scheme. Members of Cabinet had approved at the meeting on 4 September 2019 to consult on a new draft scheme that would see an increase in the amount of financial support available as the maximum available would rise from 80% to 85%. The Portfolio Holders for Finance and Sustainable Homes and Communities congratulated Libby Jarrett and her team for their hard work and professionalism in creating this new scheme. RECOMMENDED: that Cabinet recommends to Council 1.